Under My Skin
by xo-emma-ox
Summary: Claire and Gray don't get along. The Harvest Goddess thinks they need to spend a little time in each other's shoes. Literally. A rewrite
1. Black

**Claire's POV**

"Your farm looks like shit."

I turned around to find Gray standing behind me. He looked so stupid in his hat and coveralls – like some kind of baseball-playing toddler. He was holding my upgraded axe in one hand, and a chunk of silver in the other.

I glared at him.

"Here's your stupid axe." Gray tossed it on the ground, and then held out the chunk of silver. "And take this – we didn't need it."

"Thanks." I spat, turning away to continue tilling my field. It _did_ look like shit, but I wasn't about to admit it.

I heard the silver hit the ground with a small thump.

"You know," The jerk added. "You're doing it all wrong."

"I don't tell you how to do your job." I turned again, and he was smirking. "Don't tell me how to do mine."

"Whatever." Gray laughed, and I heard his footsteps lead away from my farm.

Why was it that I had to put up with his crap every stinking day? He was always so rude to me! I didn't even want to go to the blacksmith's shop anymore incase I'd run into him. I always had to wait until the afternoon, when he would go to the library and pretend to read. He probably didn't even know how to read.

I set down the hoe I was using and looked around. I had been working hard all Spring, and I had nothing to show for it in the Summer. The pineapple seeds I planted had barely even sprouted, and the season would be over soon.

Gray was right, but I would never admit it. It's funny how he could dish out all these insults, but couldn't take the heat if anyone brought up his forging skills. I still remember the first day I met him. The moron had managed to screw up a necklace, and couldn't figure out what was wrong with it.

I walked through the door to find a frightening scene.

"_Tell me what's wrong with it_!" Gray yelled at his grandfather.

"_The answer is inside of you! You have much to learn!_" Saibara snapped back.

"Um," I said quietly, tapping the younger man on the shoulder. "Hi."

He spun around. "What are _you_ looking at? If you have nothing –" The red-haired man spat.

His face matched his hair color. I had never seen someone so angry before.

"Gray! How dare you speak to a customer like that!" Saibara's head was about to spin completely around.

"So… sorry." Gray pulled his hat over his eyes, but I could still his scowl. "I didn't mean to be rude. My grandfather was giving me a hard time."

I was still in shock at his outburst. No one had ever spoken to me that way, and it wasn't sitting well with me. I wanted to teach this jerk a lesson.

"He never approves of any of my work. I'm ready to quit." He whined.

"It's called _training_." I growled, scowling at him.

Gray stared at me, shocked. I don't know what he said next, because I was already out the door.

* * *

I didn't go back for weeks. But with my tools being as weak as they were, it was holding back progress on my farm. I could barely pay any of my bills. It took me all day to clear even the smallest area of my field, and by then it was too dark to try and find things to collect in the forest for shipping. I needed to upgrade my tools.

One day, with reluctance, I shoved some tools into my rucksack, along with all the silver ores I could find, and lugged it to the blacksmith shop. When I walked in, there was a girl with long black hair talking to Gray in behind the counter. It looked as if she was holding his hand.

I rolled my eyes. The idiot had probably chopped his finger off when he wasn't paying attention. The girl was bandaging his bloody hand. I ignored whatever was happening back there. I turned my attention back to the front counter.

Saibara welcomed me, and I unpacked my bag onto the counter.

"I was wondering if I could get these tools upgraded?" I smiled at him.

The old man nodded. "It'll take three days. Will you be paying upfront?"

The raven-haired girl breezed past me, and I looked over at Gray. He was smiling like a complete moron while cradling his bandaged hand.

I looked back at his grandfather and grimaced. "I'll have to put it on my tab."

Saibara nodded. "Alright! Now out of here! I'm busy working."

And with that he ushered me out of the store.

* * *

I later learned that that girl was Mary, the librarian. And it was clear to me that Gray was positively smitten with her. Every single day at one o'clock, I would see him walking up the road from my farm to the library. Goddess only knows how long he stayed. Seeing him head up the road was my cue to head to the mines, where I would look for ores to deliver to Saibara. The old man was always thrilled, saying that I was more aware of the precision and delicateness that it took to mine a good ore than Gray ever was.

_Or ever will be_, I thought bitterly.

On Mondays I took extra care to go nowhere near the blacksmith shop. I could never predict if Gray would be there or not, since the library was closed. I found it best to avoid him at all cost. Therefore, I considered Mondays to be my day off as well. Sometimes I would go to the Hot Springs, and on really warm days, I'd visit the beach. All was well.

For about a year.


	2. Silver

**Gray's POV**

I _hated_ Mondays. As if listening to my rotten grandfather bark at me all day wasn't bad enough, I didn't even have a quiet place to go to cool off afterwards. And there was no way in hell that I would stay in the shop until closing. Sometimes Rick would come in and stay for hours just to talk about chickens. Or even worse – the lazy farmer would come in to talk to Saibara. I think she came in here after I left most days. Goddess knows why… unless she had a thing for my gramps or something. I wouldn't put that past her.

Claire didn't even buy things half the time. I had seen her hand Saibara some bags a few times, but my grandfather hid them away before I could see what they were. I never said anything – let them have their stupid secret romance. See if I cared!

But she hadn't come in yesterday. In fact, I don't think she had been here for a long time. Maybe that's why I had been in a decent mood for the past few weeks. Something about her presence, or even knowing that she had been here, pissed me off immensely. It reminded me of the first day she showed up here.

"Um," I had heard a girl's voice say, and I turned around, glaring. "Hi?"

It was the first blonde girl I'd seen in this entire town. When had she shown up? Like I cared, anyway! And just what exactly was she staring at?

"What are _you_ looking at? If you have nothing –" I started, but my grandfather's head just about turned in a complete circle.

"Gray! How dare you speak to a customer like that!"

How dare she interrupt me when I was trying to have a perfectly civil conversation with my grandfather!

"So… sorry." I pulled at my hat, trying to hide my sneer. "My grandfather was giving me a hard time."

She seemed pissed. What – was my apology not _good enough_ for her?

"He never approves of any of my work." I mumbled, feeling my cheeks burn. "I'm ready to quit."

I felt so stupid. Why did I even tell her that?

"It's called _training_." The blonde had growled, giving me a dirty look.

My mouth dropped. Just who did this girl think she was?!

I didn't have time to say anything back. She had already slammed the door shut behind her.

* * *

I checked my watch. It was already quarter after one.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow." I said to gramps, as I removed my gloves.

Mary had given them to me as a gift. She thought I had hurt my hands one too many times and figured they'd help.

They did, most of the time.

Gramps spun around. "Not so fast. I need you to deliver that axe to Claire."

He pointed to the silver axe that was leaning against the wall behind him. I scowled.

"Why can't she just come get it herself?" Just more evidence to prove how lazy she really was!

"It's done early." Saibara snapped. "Just take it!"

I groaned loudly, stomping over to the axe and swinging it over my shoulder. Gramps held out a chunk of silver.

"And get rid of this. I told you to mine gold, not silver."

"What do you expect me to do with it?" I asked.

"Throw it out. Do whatever. Just get rid of it." He spat.

I snatched it from his open palm and walked out the door.

* * *

I could already see Claire as I rounded the corner. She looked ridiculous. Seeing a girl her size trying to handle farm equipment was a joke. As I walked closer I could see that her crops had barely even sprouted. By the time they did it would probably be Fall. No wonder she couldn't afford to pay for her upgraded tools. She probably didn't have any money.

Her field was a mess. If I were her, I'd be embarrassed.

"Your farm looks like shit." I said loudly, approaching the scrawny girl.

She spun around to glare at me. Claire looked really tired.

"Here's your stupid axe." I tossed the axe onto the ground next to her, and fumbled with the silver in my palm.

She could probably use the money more than I could. "And take this – we didn't need it."

"_Thanks_."

Her sarcasm stung and that pissed me off. That'd be the last nice thing I'd ever do for her!

"You know," I added. "You're doing it all wrong."

She was, too. By tilling and then moving forward, she was pressing down the dirt she had just tilled. One step forward and two steps back. I took a step towards her from behind. I'd show her how it's done. I smirked.

"I don't tell you how to do your job." Claire snapped, turning to glare at me. "Don't tell me how to do mine."

_Women_.

"Whatever." I laughed.

Apparently this conversation was over. She was obviously too stubborn to take some good advice. I turned away and made my way up to the library, not bothering to look back.

I didn't see Claire for a long time after that.


	3. Pineapples

**Claire's POV**

It was the Summer of Year 2 and luckily for me, it was also Monday. There was a record-breaking heat wave hitting Mineral Town, and the beach was calling my name.

When I finished watering my crops, it was about noon. My pineapples would sprout earlier this year, as I learned that they grew very slowly and knew now to plant them promptly when Summer began. It was only on the last day of Summer the year before that they had been ripe enough to harvest. I didn't even have time to give one to Kai like I had promised, and that guilt had followed me up until now. I had shipped most of them, but I ended up saving a few pineapples in my freezer for days like this.

I changed out of my sweaty clothes into a t-shirt and some jeans shorts, and a pair of flip flops. I pulled my hair into a ponytail.

_I could really use a haircut_, I thought to myself.

I placed a chilled pineapple in my rucksack and headed out the door. I was hoping to catch Kai by surprise in his restaurant before he went on break. My stride turned into a jog as I rounded the corner.

* * *

**Gray's POV**

It was hotter than Hell in my grandfather's shop and I was _so_ ready to leave. What time was it? Noon?

Gramps pounded a fist onto the counter and I flinched.

"Gray," He growled, wiping his sweaty brow. "It's too damn hot to get any work done around here!"

I nodded in agreement and tossed my gloves aside.

_I could really go for a swim_, I thought.

"Go down to the mines for a while. We could use some more adamantite."

I groaned. Of course he'd make me go work myself to the bone for the last hour of my shift. Old bastard!

I grabbed my bags of tools and stormed outside.

* * *

The moment I stepped onto the street, somebody rammed into my side.

"Hey!" I cried. "Watch where you're g -…"

_Well, well, well. Who did we have here? _

Judging from the blonde ponytail, it was Claire. How long had it been? A year since I had seen her last? She looked… different. Good or bad – I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

The impact of our collision sent her flying backwards and she had landed on her ass. Her rucksack spewed open next to her, revealing sunblock, a bathing suit, towel and what looked like a... pineapple. Kai's face flashed through my mind. Soon, the girl noticed her things and began collecting them back up, rushing so I couldn't see.

"Shouldn't you be _working_?" I challenged, as she wiped the dirt off of herself.

"Mind your own damn business." Claire stood and adjusted her bag back onto her shoulder. "It's my day off."

I scowled. "Since when do farmers get a day off? Especially with your field looking the way it does…"

"_Would you lay off?_"

"Why should I?"

"Because I don't say anything about your forging skills."

I may have laughed out loud, but that remark really bothered me. As if I wasn't insecure about that already. I wasn't about to let her see that, though.

"Because there's nothing to say. I'm great!"

"You suck, Gray!" Claire crossed her scrawny arms and glared at me. "I know it, your grandpa knows it, and you know it, too. So you can stop making rude remarks about my farm and just leave me alone!"

My jaw dropped. The blonde shoved past me and I turned to watch her go.

She didn't look back.

* * *

**Claire's POV**

I had had it. After not seeing each other for months, _that's_ what goes down? I was _so_ done with him! If only he would be struck down by lightning like I had yearned for the first day we met. Gray was an arrogant prick and needed a serious punch in the face! I would do it myself if I wasn't such a -...

Wait, what was I saying? I'm wasn't weak - I was just… Okay, maybe Gray was right about that. But he had no right to say the things he did to my face! What did _he _know about farming, anyway?! Just as I was starting to feel good about my work, he had to go and bring me down. I wasn't one to stoop as low as him, but I just couldn't take it anymore. He needed a taste of his own medicine.

I knew my words had hurt him the second they came out of my mouth -I had seen it in his eyes. He had chosen the wrong girl to mess with, and was finally getting what he deserved. I wasn't going to take his crap anymore.

Why did he always pick on _me?_ That's what I wanted to know. How did I become his favorite victim? I wondered for a moment that, if we had met under different circumstances, we would have actually become friends. I bet he wasn't a jerk to anyone else in the town. He had friends – they never had stories about him that involved fists or rage or verbal abuse of any kind. Cliff had mentioned that Gray was a moody guy, but nothing out of the ordinary. Ann just thought Gray was a grump, and Kai always told me to not let what he said bother me. But how could it _not? _No one saw the side of Gray that I always did.

How did _I _get so lucky?

I wonder how he acted around Mary. I could think of plenty of things to tease _her_ about, so what made her so special? What was so great about Mary and so terrible about me? Why did Gray have to hate _me?_

_Ugh!_

* * *

**Gray's POV**

_That stupid -_

"_- __**bitch**__!_" I screamed, swinging my hammer down onto the rocks before me.

_**Smash!**_

The stones crumbled, revealing nothing but worthless ores.

"It's all _**junk**_!" I threw the hammer down and yanked my hat off.

It was useless! Everything was useless! I couldn't do _anything right!_

I cursed Claire's name until I was blue in the face. She made me feel two feet tall. Somebody needed to slap that girl! Maybe then she wouldn't be such a smartass! Who did she think she was, telling me I sucked at forging! What did _she_ know about being a blacksmith?! _Nothing_ – that's what!

I stormed out of the mine and was hit with a hot gust of wind. It caught my hat, and before I could grab it, launched it directly into the pond just outside of the mine. It was floating aimlessly on the crystal clear water. I inhaled deeply, exhaling in a deep groan. Today was becoming the worst day in the history of all time.

_I bet I can reach it from the edge,_ I thought to myself.

I made my way over to the pond and crouched at the edge. The water was surprisingly deeper than I thought, and though the water was clear, I couldn't quite make out what was at the bottom.

I stretched out my arm, extending it as far as I could without letting my other hand slip. My hat was so close, but just out of reach.

_If I could just lean forward a little bit more –_

I felt my knees buckle, and I wobbled in place.

_Just a __**little **__more –_

Too far. Just as I grabbed the edge of my hat, I felt myself falling towards it.

"Yes! I got it -"

**SPLOOSH!**


	4. Sweet Dreams

**Gray's POV**

"_I am very displeased… behavior… hers as well. Belittling… calling each other names... ashamed of yourselves…. Until you both… selflessness… friendship… remain under my spell. The answer… within... I wish… luck. … really didn't like that last offering… Bye now."_

It was so cold. My mind was so foggy. My mouth burned, a pressure building inside. My eyes struggled to open.

"Gray!"

Someone was above me. I couldn't breathe. The person's mouth found mine, and began blowing stench down my throat.

My eyes shot open.

I choked and spewed as the water in my lungs struggled its way out. Leaning onto my side, I coughed up the last of it. This was not one of my finest moments.

"You're alive!" Someone cried.

I craned my neck around to see whose noxious gas had penetrated my mouth. A spiky haired Rick was crouched beside me, and he reached for my shoulder, a look of relief on his face.

"I thought you were dead!" He grinned.

My mouth fell open and I began to scream, my burning throat feeling like acid.

"Y-YOU… YOU… Y-YOU GET AWAY FROM ME!"

I swatted at him and found that my hat was still locked into my white-knuckled fist.

"DON'T YOU _EVER_ DO THAT AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

Rick stumbled backwards, his mouth forming an "o".

The mouth that had been on _my mouth_.

"NEVER AGAIN!"

I jumped up, still glaring at him, and placed my hat back onto my head. "Ugh… SICK! _SICK!_"

Rick stared up at me, terrified.

I sneered at him once more, wiped at my mouth with the back of my hand furiously, and ran off.

* * *

**Kai's POV**

When I looked up, all I could see was Claire storming across the beach towards me. She looked _pissed_.

I worried for a minute that I had done something wrong.

"_I'm going to kill him!_" She screamed, reaching her hands out like claws.

Phew.

Clearly, she wanted to talk about her arch nemesis, the blacksmith. Why Claire and Gray hated each other so much, I had no idea. When I was around Claire, all she did was trash talk Gray. When I was around Gray, all he did was rage about Claire. After a while, I just stopped listening all together.

"Are you listening to me?" Claire snapped, finally taking a seat on the bench next to me.

"Huh? What-… Oh yeah." I turned to her, scratching the back of my head. "Gray sucks."

The blonde girl stuck out her lower lip, pouting. "Yeah, he does."

Her blue eyes met mine and I smiled. Claire was just so… cute.

I reached over and tugged her ponytail, to which she gave me a shove.

"Hey!" She giggled. "You big jerk!"

I laughed. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I pulled Claire closer to me.

"You're hot." I whispered into her ear.

"You're a weirdo." Claire smiled, then reached into her rucksack and pulled out a chilled, sweating pineapple. "For you, just like I promised."

"It's about time!" I teased.

Claire grinned, and I watched as it faded, along with the color in her face. She suddenly looked sick.

"What's up?" I asked, giving her shoulder a nudge.

"I should go," Claire mumbled, handing me the pineapple. "I… have to go."

"I'll walk you home." I offered, taking her hand as she stood, but she shook me away.

"No! I mean, no thanks. I'm fine, really." She forced a smile and squeezed her nasal bridge between her thumb and index finger. "Just a headache."

I shrugged and watched as she turned and made her way to Town Square.

"Feel better!" I shouted.

Claire didn't look back. I guess she just didn't hear me.

* * *

**Claire's POV**

"… _ashamed… selflessness… friendship… under my spell…"_

My ears were ringing like an alarm clock when I stumbled back into my house. I flopped onto the couch, throwing my bag to the floor.

"_The answer is within…_"

A voice was pulsing through my brain. My head felt like it was about to explode. My vision was growing dim, the room seemed as though it was spinning.

"… _best of luck-k-k-k-k-k-…"_

I heard crackling and my ears popped painfully. I covered them with both palms. White noise filled my entire body and it was growing louder and louder and -

"SHUT _UP!_" I screamed. "_SHUT UP JUST SHUT UP JUST SHUT UP JUST SHUT __**UP**__!_"

Silence.

I removed my hands from my ears and opened my eyes. My head had stopped pounding completely. My vision cleared and I sat up.

What… was that? _Whatever it was_, I didn't want to experience it again.

I stood up carefully and walked over to my overflowing shelf. I rummaged through it until I found what I needed.

Sleeping pills.

"Children… yadda yadda yadda… Adults… Take one pill before bedtime… Do not exceed more than three pills… liver damage… yeah… whatever." I unscrewed the lid and dumped out a few pills.

I dry swallowed two, looked at the bottle, and then popped one more.

_Sweet dreams are made of these_, I sang in my head.

I tossed the bottle back onto the shelf and went over and sat on my bed. I kicked off my sandals and flopped backwards, shutting my eyes.

"Goodnight," I said to no one in particular.

* * *

**Gray's POV**

I slammed down onto the wooden stool at the bar. "Ann. Beer. _Now_."

The red-haired girl scoffed. "Jeez! Coming _right up_, your Highness!"

I glared at Ann, who rolled her eyes. Sure enough, she set a bottle of beer in front of me. I cracked it open and downed half of it.

"Rough day?" Ann laughed, raising her eyebrows.

"You have no idea."

"Well," The girl wiped at the counter with a rag. "At least you get the night off."

"_At least a guy didn't try to stick his tongue down your throat._" I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

* * *

**Ann's POV**

"No more." I scolded. "I'm cutting you off."

The blacksmith seated at the counter was drunker than a skunk. I was going to have to drag his butt all the way upstairs at this rate!

"Y-you… you can't… judge... _me_." Gray slurred, pointing a wobbly finger at me.

"Yeah, whatever." I scoffed, taking his empty beer from in front of him. "Closing time in five minutes. Why don't you go to bed?"

"Don't tell me what to do, devil woman!" The man stood up, holding onto the counter for balance.

I fought a grin the entire time he sauntered over to the stairs.

"Sweet dreams!" I called after him.

Gray turned towards me, his eyes half shut. The other patrons in the bar were watching as the blacksmith saluted us all.

"_Merry Christmas, everybody!" _

The room howled with laughter and Gray looked confused as he climbed the rest of the stairs.

_That boy is going to have one rough day tomorrow_, I thought to myself.


End file.
